NaGaDeMon Game First Thoughts

I have a lot of random ideas for games to make for NaGaDeMon. I might very well try to make something else instead. But here is my initial plan for what to work on: an urban weird fantasy game about democracy, urban politics and the ability to rewrite the laws of physics by majority rule.

There are innumerable planes of existence out there. Each is ruled by a god or a few gods. Some planes are huge. Some are the size of a small cottage. In these realms, the god’s word is the only true law of physics. Rain falls because the rulers have decided that it should fall. At least, it does in the realms where it rains. In some realms, it rains butter or flowers or cats and dogs. Or rain goes upwards. Or it is never raining at all. Anything is possible, but it is all dependent on the will of the god in charge.

You live in one of the few without a god. A decade ago, a revolution overthrew your realm’s god. Now it is being run by a loose democracy. The city government has complete control over everything. If a majority of representatives decide to abolish gravity, it is gone. But will the citizens reelect the guy who made them float everywhere?

The PCs are the legislative council, trying to benefit their constituencies and keep the city under control and happy and keep the neighboring realms from invading. Benefitting your own constituents generally means hurting another constituency.

I’m trying to get at the bits I like most from Nobilis (group setting creation, politicking, making decisions about how to best change the world and then dealing with the consequences), but without needing a colossally skilled GM to make it work properly. Also, getting some of the cool fantasy flavor of Planescape, Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple, or the writings of Jorge Luis Borges or Lord Dunsany.

The rules will be loosely based on stuff I developed for House of Masks and my recent nameless horror game. They’ll probably be tweaked and reworked a bit to make it sing in this context. A few new mechanical bits might get added in, but not much. (Possibly, some Nomic style rules to rewrite the game’s rules as you play.)